Being Caught Texting While Driving

The rise in technology has caused for more distractions and inattentive driving. Since the advent of mobile devices, thousands of individuals have been killed in car accidents due to texting while driving. In recent years, most states have incorporated prohibitions on the use of cellphones while operating a vehicle into their legal systems.

Pennsylvania laws strictly ban text messaging while driving, in addition to outlawing the use of a cellphone other than using with a hands-free device. Despite national campaigns directed to discourage drivers from texting while driving, accidents are still occurring every day.

Media and researchers have described that texting and driving is more dangerous than driving under the influence. Distracted drivers have a slower reaction time, are more liable to take their eyes of the road and are more likely to take their hands off of the steering wheel.

Let’s be honest; you know that you are not supposed to text and drive. Texting while Driving became agianst the law in Philadelphia in 2010 and the whole state in 2011, so it’s unlikely the illegality of this action would take you by surprise. You’ve probably heard this via word of mouth, radio, television ad, etc. On top of this, it’s just plain foolish. You know that if your eyes are on your phone, there’s simply no way that you can give your full attention to the road.

We all know Texting while Driving is dangerous, but you may be unaware of exactly how dangerous texting while driving can be. To put things in perspective, suppose you are driving 55 miles per hour. Even if you glance down for a mere five seconds to read a brief text message, at 55 mph you will have just covered the entire length of a football field, all without paying attention to the road. Think about that. Do you feel safe traveling that amount of distance under the assumption that no other driver will change lanes, slow down, speed up, or take any other action which will require your attentiveness? We would guess your honest answer is no.

What if I Wasn’t Texting?

But what if you weren’t actually texting, that is, writing a text? What if you are just reading a received message? As you may have gathered from the example above, reading a text is itself dangerous. So, whether writing or reading, the entire process of “Texting” is problematic when you are behind the wheel. The law treats writing, reading, and sending a text as equal, and thus gives equal consequences for each of them. In addition, for the purposes of this law, emailing or sending messages via any electronic means or medium while driving is also considered distracted driving.

If you have been ticketed for texting while driving, The Law Offices of Greg Prosmushkin, P.C. can help. It is commonplace that an officer will ticket persons for additional driving violations, such as failure to maintain lane, careless driving, speeding, etc. as one is likely to have committed other infractions while distracted by their phones. We will assist you in defending any other Tickets, and in attaining the best resolution possible for your case.